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ICC Champions Trophy - Pleased as Ponting |
From Sarb Johal
Cricketfundas.com's Sarb Johal had the
opportunity to attend the media conference with
the Australian Skipper, Ricky Ponting after the
abandoned India v Australia match on 23rd
August, Videocon Cup, Amsterdam.
Here's some of what he had to say on the performance of Michael Clarke, and the upcoming India and Ashes Series:
On what could be taken out of batting today:
Ponting: Most of the batters got some time out in the middle, which is always important - we haven't played together as a group for quite a while now, so it was good to get back and play again. Clarke looked good again - and Matty Hayden and I got some time in the middle - so we can take a bit from it. And getting some bating on that wicket as well - and hopefully another couple of games on those sorts of surfaces … and we learned a little bit about how we can play in those conditions a little bit later in the tournament - so we can take a bit away.
Are you disappointed that no one in the top six went on to make a big score?
Ponting: Yes, but it was a shortened game, so people were taking a few more risks than they normally would. Ideally, you'd like someone in your top four or five to go on and make a decent total and that didn't really happen today, but we had a lot of contributors, which was pleasing.
Is it hard to get settled in these shortened games?
Ponting: You don't really have that much time to get settled. With the nine over restriction today, once you get in there and get used to the conditions, you've generally used up five or six overs and you've only got a couple of overs to try to accelerate towards the end. We got off to a pretty good start today - we lost a couple of wickets just after the 10th or 11th over, somewhere around there - that slowed us back down a little. But Clarkey got us back up - the run rate moving up towards the end of the innings and it looked liked we were going to have a pretty defendable total, so all in all, a pretty pleasing start.
With this Indian batting line-up, would you have liked a few more on the board?
Ponting: You always like a few more on the board, yeas - especially when a side has a very strong batting line-up like India has. But we've managed to defend totals really well over the last couple of years - and that's against any side. And the wicket out there was only going to get worse as the game went on - it was going to turn more, get a lot slower - probably be a bit variable with the bounce for the quickies as well so, I think we were fielding a pretty good total.
On his view of the Indians' intensity after their recent poor run in Sri Lanka and the Asian Cup.
Ponting: It felt like their intensity was pretty good in the field. They're obviously a side that have had a fair bit of success over the last couple of years in both forms of the game, and that breeds intensity, if you like, and a bit more commitment out in the field and they've shown that a lot over the last couple of years. It's pretty hard to say - I think we'll get a better idea if we meet them again here, or we come up against them in the ICC (Champions Trophy).
When you won the toss, did you bat first because you'd seen the weather forecast?
Ponting: No - I batted first because I thought that's when the wicket would be at its best - and at the time of the toss, I thought we'd get the full 32 over game in. It didn't tuen out that way, and as you can see now, the weather's been pretty unpredictable - it rained then there was sun, then more rain, and the sun's pretty bright out there again, so it's always pretty hard to predict those things.
Were you pretty pleased with what you saw from Michael Clarke today?
Ponting: I've been pretty pleased with what I've seen right from the word go with Michael. The way he approaches his one-day cricket at the moment is fantastic - he can bat at almost any position in the order, he backs himself in almost any situation, and he hits boundaries to strange parts of the field, which is always handy. He's got the ability to finish games for us, which he did a couple of times for us in Sri Lanka. He's a fantastic fielder and he can bowl some good left-hand off-spin when required, so he's a fantastic one-day player for us, and he's maturing all the time - and I think he's going to get better and better … He's played a bit of his cricket in sub-continental conditions, and that wicket was a bit like that today. He's played a series in Sri Lanka, a series in India, and he played pretty well - so seems to have adjusted to this pitch pretty well.
Are these ideal conditions to prepare you for the Champions Trophy?
Ponting: I think that wicket was a bit different to what we'll come across in England. I think the wickets in England will have a bit more pace and a bit more bounce than this one, and probably won't turn as much as this one. But cricket's cricket and you try to get as much time in the middle, and there's no substitute for that - we've got a bit out of it today, and we've got another game on Wednesday and hopefully we can improve on our performance today.
I don't know if you saw the conclusion to the the England v West Indies match on Saturday, but people in England are very excited about the upcoming Ashes series now. Do you think the England side will be able to give you more of a decent game now?
Ponting: Having been in England for four or five weeks, I think I've answered this question about a thousand times (laughs). Yes, I think they probably will. They seem like they're playing a bit of real cricket now - some of the individuals have really put their hand up and have really grown in stature I guess, over the last 12 or 18 months … but what I've always said is that a lot can happen over the next 12 months - it's a long way away. We've got a huge series against India coming up before that one, and our main focus will be on that Test series first. But if we can get through that one injury-free, and our summer, and the tour of New Zealand injury-free, I know we'll be taking a very strong squad there, and it should be a good series, one that all the players are looking forward to.
Focusing on the Indian series coming up, what sort of difference do you think Shane Warne makes between the two teams?
I think Shane can make a huge difference for us over there. The Indians have played him well on the last couple of tours to India … but I know for a fact that Shane hasn't been all that fit on those last couple of tours there. He's carried niggly injuries into both of those series, and he's obviously fitter now than he's ever been. His body's in great shape, and talking to Michael Clarke who's been with him in Hampshire over the winter, he's bowling very, very well. So, if he can take some really good form and an injury free bosy into that Indian series, I'm sure he'll play a big part for us.
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